Orgain Protein Powder is one of a few products that has become a key contributor to my weight loss efforts. It took a long time to research and select a protein powder but I’ve got to say – I think I chose a winner. If you’re looking for a good powder to use for some yummy protein shakes, please read on.

Protein Powder Criteria

I have some very strict criteria when it comes to protein supplements, especially shake powders. Here are the determining factors for considering protein powders.

• No artificial sweeteners. This is a must for me as sucralose, aspartame, and a few others will cause me to have IBD-like flare ups.
• Non-Soy protein source. I like to share good protein shakes with others and soy intolerances abound. Soy can also be inflammatory to the gut.
• Must be tasty. I want my shakes to taste like a milkshake, not a bunch of ground-up vegetables.
• Must not be gritty. When mixed with milk (or cashew milk or almond milk), the shake should be pretty smooth.
• Gluten free & vegan. Again, these are mostly for when I share with others. One of my closest friends is celiac and the another is vegan.
• Low sugar. I wanted to keep the calories down and the protein up, which means the powder cannot be bulked up with a bunch of carbs and sugars.
• Reasonably priced. If it’s cheaper for me to go buy a steak every night than to mix a shake, I’m going for the steak. This is supposed to be a less expensive alternative.

These seem like pretty basic specifications for a good protein powder, but you might be surprised just how very many products fail at this.

I give extra bonus points to protein powders that included a bit of fiber along with the protein. Getting enough fiber is a challenge for me. So drinking my fiber in a yummy smoothie seemed a good way to tackle this alongside having more protein.

Orgain Protein Powder ^*

Orgain Protein Powder comes in three flavors: Sweet Vanilla Bean, Creamy Chocolate Fudge, and Natural Unsweetened. Those links all go to Amazon where, as of writing this, a 2-pound jar with about 20 servings will cost you a little over $20. That’s just over $1 per shake. Score huge on the reasonably priced marker!

Ingredient Review

The vanilla and chocolate powders use a combination of stevia and monkfruit for sweetening. Big checkmark on the “no artificial sweeteners” criteria. Obviously, the natural unsweetened one doesn’t contain any of that. I imagine it would be good for doing ice-based fruit smoothies but I’m too chicken to try it. #honestreview

All of the flavors of Orgain Protein Powder use a vegan creamer base, keeping the whole product vegan. It’s also gluten free, lactose free, and non-GMO, which is handy for a wide range of food intolerances.

Orgain uses a blend of brown rice, chia, pea, and hemp to provide 21 grams of protein per serving. This meets my “no soy” requirement. And the total actual sugars in a serving is only 1 gram. The label does call out that there are 5 grams of sugar alcohols per serving. That’s still not terrible. I’m grateful that they put this information on the label to keep consumers informed. #moredataisgood

Taste Test

I’ve used both the vanilla and chocolate Orgain Protein Powder and both have been yummy! They taste like vanilla and chocolate, respectively. There are no signs of hidden vegetable protein or chemical tastes. Since most of my shakes are just unflavored, unsweetened cashew or almond milk with the powder, they don’t have any other flavorings to hide behind. They’re tasty all on their own.

The shakes blend up in my bullet blender smoothly and are not gritty. The powder does tend to thicken whatever it’s put into a bit so it feels more like a shake without having to add ice or ice cream.

Other Stuff

If you follow Orgain on Facebook or visit their blog, they often post recipes for stuff to make using their powders that are not smoothies. These are great ideas for getting in more protein in creative ways.

Final Thoughts

It’s pretty clear by now that I’m a fangirl for Orgain Protein Powder. It’s scrumptious and meets all of my criteria. When I’m low on protein for the day, this is one of the things I reach for.

So if you’re looking for a great powder to boost your protein intake give Orgain Protein Powder a try.

* Note:

It may seem really annoying that I keep spelling out “Orgain Protein Powder” but I swear it’s for a reason other than good search rankings. Orgain has a range of products including other powders like their Superfoods, SLIM, or Meal. This review is not about those other powders. Sorry for the repetition.